Freak Valley Festival 2022 – Day 2

Thu. – 12:47PM – In a tent

A lot going on as the festival and its many volunteers — designated by crew shirts from various years — get ready for the first full day. First band is on in about 70 minutes.

I crashed out hard last night after a vigorous round of nesting — pillows here, water bottle there, white noise on, window open to let cool air in, book loaded on tablet so I could look at words for about seven seconds before falling asleep, etc. — and woke up with the alarm at 10AM, which is only ironic because that’s 4AM at home and I might be up then on any given day anyhow. What jetlag?

Hydrated. Took ibuprofen, drank three cups of drip coffee and some assemblage of espressos — two doubles and then some — ate a protein bar and got my head right before coming back here. DVNE growling through soundcheck right now is hilarious. Not everyone can do that without music behind. Now singing clean in French. Chuckles from those lounging nearby.

The sun is out and there’s more of a breeze so far, though it will get warmer over the next couple hours. It doesn’t matter though. FVF provides places to be, whether it’s the seats on the side or this tent or the hammocks under the trees in back, and so on. People go, have a smoke, catch their breath, rest before the next thing. I am sitting in a chair, as opposed to a bench or on the ground. This itself feels like a novelty, and backstage has its own amenities, including bathrooms and places to fill your water bottle.

There are three more bands on the bill today than yesterday and the last of them is Pelican, which I hope will feel like a wonderful moment of arrival after the long stretch. But we’re in it now with doors open and the hangover soon to give way to new drunkenness. Folks went hard last night, and it wasn’t just Mr. Roomtwentynine. I’ll be interested to see how it goes once the music starts, which it will soon enough.

Notes on the day, taken as it happened:

DVNE

What a way to start the day. The largely uptempo UK post-metal outfit probably aren’t used to playing in sunshine, but all the better to see them obliterate. I’ve been lucky enough to catch DVNE live before, at Psycho Las Vegas a few years back (everything was a few years back), but the Etemen Ænka (review here) record that they put out between them and now brought them to a new level. They sound like a band who put work and conscious thought into the atmospheres they create — progressive in that way — and their clear desire to not do the same thing all the time, to distinguish themselves even among the crowded sphere of post-metal is something to deeply respect, all the more because they do it. And just when they seem to get all caught up in a mire of tense, complicated prog-metal noodling, that’s when they turn around and bash you over the head with a riff and if you can’t get down with that, why even have ears? Their sound goes as deep as you’re willing to follow it and on stage they back that cerebralness with due passion-derived force. Or, if you prefer the short version, this is a cool fucking band. I was surprised it wasn’t being filmed, but I guess one can’t have everything.

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Supersonic Blues

Hey, guess what? Been a few years since I last saw Netherlands classic rockers Supersonic Blues. Shocking, right? Well, earlier this year they put out their awaited debut album, It’s Heavy (review here) on Who Can You Trust? Records, and man, that record is a burner. A boogie burner, even better. Seeing and hearing them play songs from it put them high on my list of anticipated bands for Freak Valley 2022, but that they played as a two-guitar four-piece and seemed to take a special jammy pleasure in doing so made them even more enjoyable to watch. You wouldn’t call them innovative — and that’s not intended as a slight, they’re actively trying not to reinvent the wheel — but their songs and vibes are tremendous fun. One of those bands who are mellow no matter how heavy they get, and who seem to find a sweet spot between ’70s grooves and a kind of laid back melodicism. There’s a part of me that hopes they never add a keyboardist and go prog — which is what a goodly portion of the bands who influenced Supersonic Blues ended up doing — but time will tell of their ultimate direction. Right now, and for the last five or so years, they’re a blast. A party that’s been waiting for you to show up. They brought their own drums.

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Kosmodome

My first time seeing Kosmodone, whose name I’ve seen around a lot. I’ve played them on the Gimme Metal show before, but not really written about them, but they remind a bit of Hypnos 69’s warm prog, their stage arrangement such that the drummer/vocalist is off to the side rather than behind the guitars and bass, which is kind of where the keys are. They’re young, which means they can play prog without needing to stand still on stage and maybe have some Motorpsycho influence, and it’s hard to be really immersive when it’s broad daylight and still heating up, but whatever, it’s a good time. In the hills around there are hawks circling the woods, or maybe that’s the campsite, I don’t know. Either way, Kosmodome released their self-titled album last December and dedicated “The 1%” from it to all the children in the crowd, and yes, there are plenty of them and a few more clearly impending. I can’t imagine my family, my wife and son, would enjoy this — he might for a while but then would be trying to get on stage, she simply wouldn’t — but it would be an interesting experiment. Kosmodome came here from Bergen, Norway, and it occurs to me I have no clue how far away that is. Hard to get your bearings at a thing like this. But I know today’s Thursday, because that’s when Kosmodome played. They closed with “Orbit,” which also finishes the record, and I might have to buy this album now.

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Les Big Byrd

Hell yes Swedish space rock. This was my first experience with Les Big Byrd — and they pronounced it “less” on stage rather than the French “lay” Big Byrd — but however you want to say it they brought trance groove to the hottest part of the day, riding motorik groove and a balance between songwriting and jamming with similar ease. As I’d never heard them, their synth-laced sound hit a laid back feel just right, and they also had a side-of-stage drummer, like Kosmodome, except on the other side, and he did backing vocals. They said they’ll have a new record out this Fall, and if I had any idea what month it is, I might know how far away that is from now, but at least I’ll know to keep an eye out for it. I’d dozed in the shade prior to their going on, my new hippie hat over my face, and they made easing back to full consciousness smoother than, say, Mondo Generator probably would. I chased down some coffee later in the set in the interest of remaining upright for the second half of the day’s lineup and they were done by the time I got back, but I’d watched a bit out front on the grass, people dancing on either side of me to the fluid sounds. I’ll take it.

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Mondo Generator

Would you fuck with Mondo Generator? I wouldn’t. Seems like a good way to get punched. They’re like punk rock aggro taken to its natural extreme; a legacy of dirty, fucked up, angry — and in their case, heavy — rock and roll that is dangerous and in pursuit of danger as the end. Nick Oliveri doubles in Stöner with Brant Bjork these days, but it’s been nearly a decade since last time I saw Mondo Generator (review here) and they were a four-piece then, but they worked well as a trio. The rawer the better. Mike Pygmie I saw a few weeks ago playing with John Garcia at Desertfest New York (review here), but it’s been years since I watched the malleable Mike Amster bash away at a drum kit, and that was a pleasure as well. I don’t think I’ll ever be intense enough for Mondo Generator, but I’m honestly not sure anyone is. All the more reason to put Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age songs in the set: no one’s gonna argue with “Green Machine” and “Thirteenth Floor,” or at very least no one here. Even when they slow down though, they’re mean, and after they closed with “Tension Head” into “Allen’s Wrench” and “Millionaire,” just to make sure everybody goes home happy after getting their ass kicked., the crowd called for one more and apparently they had time, so they threw in Queens of the Stone Age’s “Six Shooter” with Oliveri putting down the bass and just singing. That was a fun 90 seconds for sure.

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The Atomic Bitchwax

Yay! If we’re being completely honest with each other, that’s about the extent of my depth of insight watching The Atomic Bitchwax right now. I’ll never claim to be impartial about this band, however many times I may be so fortunate as to see them or write about them, but they’re just one of the tightest heavy rock acts you’ll ever see. A couple weeks ago they absolutely flattened me at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn (review here) and it was nothing but a joy. Similar set here, the lines about songs about Kung Fu and shouting out “Kiss the Sun” to the ladies, etc., but they tore into it and were a blowout and a blast and probably six or seven other adjectives that collectively round down to “quite exciting, indeed,” while also exuding glee at doing so, Bob Pantella, Garrett Sweeney and Chris Kosnik (who I’m starting to think of writing in for the upcoming US midterm congressional election) simply working at another level from just about everybody and giving Mondo Generator a run for their money without the same kind of aggression behind it. What a tour that would be. ‘Too Fast for Your Brain 2022.’ I know things are about to take a mellower turn, but these guys were the kick in the ass I needed heading into the rest of the night. A heartfelt fucking a, The Atomic Bitchwax. Thanks for the boost. And for “So Come On.” And that slowdown and speed up in “Shitkicker.” And the Deep Purple. Right on.

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Toundra

After 9PM just now and still very light out. I guess that’s why I was disoriented last night, because night happened at a different time. Also the no sleep. I’ll admit to being relieved watching Toundra. I was expecting a big post-Bitchwax comedown, but that’s not at all what Spanish instrumentalists Toundra delivered. I’ve heard them before, written about them before, but as dug-in as their style is in that vaguely-My-Sleeping-Karma-ish progressive-meditative-sans-vocal heavy, they were jumping around on stage while they played it. It can be done! And even the dreamier stretches were given a push that was a perfect accompaniment to the richness of their tones and the lead guitar lines floating overhead. For a crowd who’ve largely spent already the last seven-plus hours drinking, or just for me who could use another coffee (perpetually), they were outright engaging to the crowd — very definitely a show — without giving up their progressive aspects. That’s not an easy thing to pull off, and they were treated with due respect by the crowd, I’m sure some of whom saw them here when they played in 2016. As I didn’t, I’m glad I’m seeing them now. If that makes me late to the party or whatever, fine. Story of my life. And yes, they had their “Stones From the Sky” moment. Someone in the back behind the lawn, by the merch and food, was burning incense. Balloons were being batted around until meeting their inevitable end. Kids sat on parents’ shoulders. Freak Valley could give classes in how to define heavy peace. Subsection on the syllabus for this set right now. How lucky I am to be here.

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Endless Boogie

The app I use to order pizza just sent me a “hey you should order a pizza notification.” It’s like somehow it knew Endless Boogie were playing. It’s usually right anyway, and the theory applies here if not the logistics. Paul Major, center stage, guitar in hand, occasionally grumping into the microphone while grooving out — this is kind of a band you need to see live to understand. And they’re from New York. And I live in New Jersey. And I’ve seen them once before this. And it was in Europe. If you have a “go figure” file, that can go right in there. They’re hitting it though. As mellow as their records can be, and as only-on-their-own-clock as they come across, their material isn’t staid or unipolar. It’s a classic kind of dynamic and nothing fancy on paper, but if you want dig a band Endless Boogie are a band to dig, and that’s a compliment. What they’re doing on paper couldn’t be simpler — starting out and seeing where it goes — but what distinguishes them is their personality as players — and that’s not just Major either — and the conversing they do as they ooze through one movement to the next, one jam to the next. I’ll spare you wax poetics in the spirit of Manhattan concrete, but whatever they might have in common with whoever, they are their own thing. Once again, people are dancing, even bigger bubbles are being blown, and meanwhile the band is on stage ripping it up. They dedicated the entire last half-hour of their set to one song, a flowing jam with repeated cycles about smoking in the house that also magically became space rock. There really is nothing like a band who keep their word.

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Pelican

I’m going to try to assemble a few coherent thoughts, but I can’t promise anything as regards making sense. What I didn’t realize throughout today was just how much it was building toward Pelican, and just how much the veteran Chicago instrumental four-piece were positioned as a culmination. They were the point of convergence. I’m not going to list the tie to each act, because why would I?, but as well as setting the course for an innumerable amount of acts in terms of their influence, they also kick a good deal of ass. That is to say, they’re a headliner on paper as well as in reality. I lost my left earplug right before they went on — I’d left my bag on the other side of the photo pit, and getting there was a journey; just trust me — but even with two full festival days left, I’m less distraught at the ringing in my ear with them as the cause than I might be other under circumstances. It got chilly after the sun went down, but I found a spot in back to watch them for just a bit before moving elsewhere and the swirling lights, the presence of the band on stage, the volume even after I replaced that earplug — staggering. I don’t even know how many times I’ve used the word “beautiful” in the last two days at Freak Valley, and this probably won’t be the last one either, but that’s really what it was. The end of a long day, people slouching with fatigue, booze, whatever. And then Pelican comes on and it’s this massive waveform of positive energy. A celebration, maybe. I don’t know, but it felt like resonant joy pushed through all that crunching tonality, all that hugeness of nod. Heart. In a universe where authenticity is a myth, Pelican communicate something essential — not quite primal, but not far off — for those ready to accept the invitation to hear it. That’s all. No big deal.

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06.17.22 – Fri. – 10:54AM – Hotel

Liebe freunden — as the fellow says; it’s a kind of catchphrase for the fest and an appropriate, organic one — it occurred to me last night that I hadn’t had a meal since before I flew out on Tuesday, and that that last meal was composed entirely of Swiss cheese. So yes, breakfast. Some peppery eggs, assorted slices of cheese, coffee. The Karma to Burn of meals. Keep it simple as much as possible. Hydrate. I drank about half a liter of water per band yesterday. Take Advil. Sit down. Breathe to the extent that whatever allergy it is allows. Exist.

I’ve said a fair amount about the music so far, but the atmosphere here shouldn’t be neglected either. The spirit of the place, the green trees, green grass, yes. But also the kindness of the people. I was in the photo pit last night and someone up front in the crowd tapped me on the shoulder and said he probably wouldn’t be there if not for this site. I met a married couple (who’d gotten engaged at the festival in 2017) who were lovely and whose names I remember but won’t say, because, you know.

It’s not for me to be taking pictures of the crowd, of people who aren’t performing, who are there to hang out and enjoy themselves. It seems intrusive. But understand that, being here, the kindness of everybody I’ve met has been as essential as the music, as the setting. The people, the place, the thing. It is all the nouns, spiritually restorative.

Today I will pack a hoodie for the nighttime. Forgive me for being out of practice. I was burning yesterday afternoon and ended up buying a hat as well, so yes, you learn and relearn as you go. But strangers, friends, and strangers who become friends help along the way. Maybe not with showering — that I’ll do on my own — but the rest of it. As loud and raucous and go-go-go as it can be, it’s serene too. An existential butterfly landing on your nose. Just for a moment, I know. Two more days.

Thank you for reading. More pics after the jump.

Read more »

Today’s episode of The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal is a tribute to and a look at the lineup for this year’s Freak Valley Festival, taking place next week in Siegen, Germany. Freak Valley has been hosting bands for over a decade and I’m proud to say that this will be my first year attending after many, many more wanting to do so, doing writing for the festival, etc.

Should probably point out even if I d don’t necessarily need to that this isn’t the full lineup of the festival, just as much as I could effectively pack into two hours while also managing to play a 20-minute Endless Boogie track. Could I have hunted out shorter cuts and maybe been able to fit another band or two? Probably, but it doesn’t feel like The Obelisk Show in my brain if it doesn’t end with a jam, so it is what it needs to be.

I should be in the chat this time if you want to say hi. I was doing live factoids about the bands for a while because the Gimme Bot doesn’t always know this stuff if it’s new, or weird, or not at all metal, and so on, but it just kind of got sad after a while so I stopped. Lesson learned.

Thanks if you listen, thanks if you’re reading. Thanks in general.

The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.

Full playlist:

The Obelisk Show – 06.10.22

Psychlona	Blast Off	Venus Skytrip
Fu Manchu	Strange Plan	Fu30 Pt. 2
Duel	Wave of Your Hand	In Carne Persona
Green Lung	Leaders of the Blind	Black Harvest
VT1
Red Fang	Wires	Murder the Mountains
The Midnight Ghost Train	Foxhole	Buffalo
Villagers of Ioannina City	Part V	Age of Aquarius
Pelican	Arteries of Blacktop	Nighttime Stories
Djiin	Warmth of Death	Meandering Soul
Toundra	Danubio	II
Geezer	Atomic Moronic	Stoned Blues Machine
Slomatics	Cosmic Guilt	Canyons
IAH	Naga	Omines
Kosmodome	Hypersonic	Kosmodome
Madmess	Rebirth	Rebirth
VT2
Endless Boogie	Jim Tully	Admonitions

The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is June 25 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.

Gimme Metal website

The Obelisk on Facebook

My flight is booked and I’m beyond excited to say that after years of longing to do so even before the covid-19 pandemic, I’ll be attending Freak Valley Festival for the first time in June. I’m not sure yet where I’m staying or how I’m getting to the actual event from the airport, let alone back afterward, but you know, a flight isn’t nothing and I’m honored to have that like I’m honored to see a logo for The Obelisk on the poster. I wrote the announcement below — composed it in the back end of this very post, as it happens — and I’ll drop a hint and say that I know who the special guest is if you can make a fantastic getaway to get to see them. Actually that’s way too vague a hint. Sorry, I can’t think of anything else. If you have your head keyed into early aughts Nasoni Records releases, maybe you’ll come up with it. If not, sorry.

In any case, to say I’m looking forward to this — seeing Geezer and The Atomic Bitchwax on foreign soil, seeing friends in and out of bands, seeing IAH and Temple Fang and Villagers of Ioannina City and Duel and Supersonic Blues and The Midnight Ghost Train‘s reunion and Planet of Zeus and Pelican — well, hot shit, to say I’m looking forward to it borders on laughable. In my head, I’m already there.

Here’s that announcement:

Freaks!

Spring has come to Freak Valley, and somehow the universal image of the season meaning new life manifests for us in an especially killer lot of band announcements. Hey, we don’t judge. Don’t you either.

Did we mention BAND ANNOUNCEMENTS?

Good. Here they are:

THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX

More than 20 years on from their legendary debut album, The Atomic Bitchwax are the train of riffs that wouldn’t stop anyway if it could. They are nothing less than stoner rock royalty and we’re thrilled to welcome them to our lineup. Top frickin’ shelf rock and roll.

ENDLESS BOOGIE

The New York City jammers are nothing if not aptly named. If you’re not familiar, check out last year’s ‘Admonitions’ LP and we know you’ll find it stunningly easy to get on board. When these guys play they’re in their own world. We look forward to getting a glimpse of that.

DVNE

We’re just going to assume that, yes, you heard ‘Etemen Ænka’ when DVNE released it and so you don’t need us to tell you how excited we are to welcome these progressive metallers to the Freak Valley stage. Duh, right? We thought so. Years from now you’ll brag about seeing this band.

TYLER BRYANT AND THE SHAKEDOWN

Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown’s 2020 album, ‘Pressure,’ was a high point of a shit year, and we knew immediately we had to have this Nashville-born blues rocking outfit to our stage. They’ve toured with the likes of Guns ‘n’ Roses and AC/DC, and their swagger is backed up by chops. You will not regret being here for this one.

MADMESS

Hell yes. That fuzz. That drift. That vibe. For a good time, call Madmess’ 2021 LP, ‘Rebirth.’ These Portuguese heavy psychedelic expansionists cast a warmth that’s cosmic and earthy in kind. Their jams are memorable and organic, and they deliver with an energy that’s raw power. Oh it’s gonna be so good. You don’t even know.

DJIIN

That’s not a typo. These French heavy proggers put out their ‘Meandering Soul’ album last year, and we’re still tripping on it. Ambitious landscapes of sound and scope meld fluidly with thoughtful songcraft and gorgeous vocal melodicism. They’re retro enough to be from the future, so it must be the sound of right now. We stoked to meet it in-person.

SPECIAL GUEST!!

Luckily we will also be able to sell some returned full festival tickets soon.

Also Wednesday Tickets for those who already own 3 Day tickets are still available.

Please buy them now!

Rock on – your Rock Freaks

Freak Valley Festival // No Fillers – Just Killers

Freak Valley Festival.

June 15-18 2022

https://www.facebook.com/events/2434350453469407
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.instagram.com/freakvalleyfestival/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley
http://www.rockfreaks.de/
http://www.freakvalley.de/

The Atomic Bitchwax, Scorpio (2019)

Somewhere just before I started this Quarterly Review, the contact form on this website was fixed. This, obviously, was a mistake. On my desktop that have come in over the last week and a day are more than enough releases to have continued the Fall 2021 QR for at least two more days, if not longer. That’s just not happening. The music’s been good, but I’ve had both of our family cars break down in the last two days, I’ve been fighting to get a bus to pick my kid up for school in the morning, and waking up at 4:30 to write only seems to result in nodding off while brushing my teeth. Not to mention, as The Patient Mrs. very gracefully doesn’t tell me during these times, I’m a total bitch when I do this. Again, she doesn’t say it. The message though is pretty clear.

So best to quit while I’m… already behind again…

Thanks for reading.

Quarterly Review #61-70:

Endless Boogie, Admonitions

Let’s not talk about how Paul Major has cool hair. Or how he’s well known in record-trader circles or whatever else. Let’s talk about Endless Boogie‘s largely-insurmountable 80-plus minutes of jams on Admonitions and how reliable the band have become when one seeks sleek-grooved expanses, not reliant on effects wash and synthesized swirl, but just the rawer guitar, bass, drums, periodic-but-don’t-go-expecting-them vocals. You put on Endless Boogie, you’re gonna get some groove. Pick a favorite between the sides-A-and-C-consuming 22-minute tracks “The Offender” and “Jim Tully” if you want, I’ll take both, and the minimal drone of “The Conversation” and “The Incompetent Villains of 1968” for a bonus. At 5:12 and with vocals, “Bad Call” is about as close as they come to a ‘single’ in the traditional sense — it’s the centerpiece of side B, with “Disposable Thumbs” before and the cool-built funk of “Counterfeiter” after — but if you’re looking for singles you’re missing the point here. The point is to put it on and go. So go, god damn it.

Endless Boogie on Bandcamp

No Quarter website

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Sula Bassana, Loop Station Drones

A collection of various pieces — aren’t we all? — by Dave “Sula Bassana” Schmidt (Electric Moon, Zone Six, etc.), Loop Station Drones may be aptly named in terms of the basic process of creation, but that hardly covers the scope of the release’s 78-minute span, whether that’s the meditative undercurrent in opener “Roadburn Haze,” slightly edited from Schmidt‘s Roadburn Redux appearance earlier in 2021, the 16-bit cosmic soundtracking of “Rolling in Outer Space” (I’d play the shit out whatever game that is on SNES), the moodier breadth of “Die Karawane der Unsterblichen” and “Wastelandgarden” or the motorik pulse of the 17-minute “Dopeshuttle.” Especially pivotal is the closing duo of “Stargate” (14:06) and “One Way” (6:04), which offer serenity and wistfulness, respectively, that bridge a rare emotionality for what according to its title is a simple ‘drone.’ Anytime Schmidt wants to turn this into an ongoing series, that’ll be fine.

Sula Bassana on Facebook

Sulatron Records webstore

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Redscale, The Old Colossus

Rock for rockers. Berlin four-piece Redscale roll out a scenario in which Clutch and Kyuss and Soundgarden and Truckfighters and probably six or seven other of your favorite heavy rock live acts got together and decided to put down a batch of kickass songs. That’s what’s up. The Old Colossus is the band’s fourth LP, first for Majestic Mountain, and if they spent their first two albums figuring out how to get shit done, well, they sound like it. Things get duly big-sounding on “Hard to Believe” and they go acoustic on “At the End” ahead of the closer “The Lathe of Heaven,” but basically what Redscale do here is identify the boxes needing ticking and then tick the crap out of them. They’re not reshaping the genre, but they’re definitely doing righteous work within it. The rockers will know the rock when they hear it. Everyone else can get bent.

Redscale on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records webstore

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Seven Rivers of Fire, Hail Star of the Sea!

A solo-project of William Randles, also of Durban, South Africa’s Rise Up, Dead Man, the acoustic-led Seven Rivers of Fire brings a sense of outbound ritualism to drone-folk and organic psychedelia with this second self-released offering, Hail Star of the Sea!. I’m not sure if he’s handling all the instruments himself or not, but one is reminded of Om-split-era Six Organs of Admittance throughout the 20-minute “Crossing the Abyss / The Magician’s Journey,” and instrumental pieces like “I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning” and “Ghost Dance / Sign of the Goddess” and “Ha-Sulam / Drawing Down the Moon” have a current of tension running alongside their largely-unplugged peacefulness. The 76-minute entirety of the outing is best enjoyed in the sun, outside, but whatever the context in which one might visit it in part or whole, the material is evocative of warmth and its swells and recessions effectively call out to the water. Not a minor undertaking, but neither should it be.

Seven Rivers of Fire on Facebook

Seven Rivers of Fire on Bandcamp

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Cult Burial, Oblivion EP

What to call it? Wrench metal, because it feels like it’s systemically pulling you apart? Cement metal because of all that crushing? Post-death metal because all that sludge and doom mixed in sure sounds like decay and that’s what comes after? I don’t know. None of my names for anything ever stick anyway — the tragedy of being irrelevant — but London extremity-purveyors Cult Burial offer three-tracks of doom-laced death in Oblivion, with the short outing following-up on their well-received 2020 self-titled debut in an impressively seamless melding of genres, technical leads searing through lumbering riffs, harsh vocals, various barks and screams, populating this dense and pummeling sampler from the nine-minute opening title-slab through “Parasite” and “Paralysed,” and I’d say they save the heaviest for last, but they hammer-smashed the scale to bits because who the hell cares anyway? All this and atmosphere too. Whatever big-timey metal label ends up snagging this band is gonna have a beast on their hands.

Cult Burial on Facebook

Cult Burial website

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Duster 69, 2021

German heavy rockers Duster 69 — or Duster69, if you prefer — seem to be testing the waters with their first release in 13 years. Called 2021, the two-songer brings just nine minutes of music in a kind of see-how-it-goes spirit. During their initial run, the outfit with Daredevil Records honcho Jochen Böllath (also of Grand Massive) on guitar released three full-length and splits alongside the likes of Calamus, Rickshaw, The Awesome Machine and House of Broken Promises, and though there’s something unassuming about thinking of “Oppose” and “Remember” as a comeback, it seems more about the band internally figuring out if they still work together as a unit. The answer, of course, is yes, or presumably 2021 wouldn’t see release. The production is rough, but if this is Duster 69 heralding a return in “soft opening” fashion, then something grand may yet be to come.

Duster 69 on Facebook

Daredevil Records website

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Tankograd, Klęska

With Tomasz “Herr Feldgrau” Walczak, now also drumming in Weedpecker on vocals and guitar, Warsaw’s Tankograd present a Soviet-aftermath through a meld of styles that pulls together heavy rock, sludge, death and black metal. Second album Klęska is as likely to find Walczak — joined by drummer Jakub “Herr Stoß” Kaźmierski, guitarist Grzegorz “Herr Berg” Góra and bassist Herr “I Can’t Find His Real Name” Schnitt — harmonizing as engaging guttural growls over blastbeats, nodding riffs, and so on. “Niech Liczą Trupy” seems to willfully take on Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, but this is only after “Za Ofiarną Służbę” and “Nie Dać Się Zarżnąć” have blown genre convention out of the water. Tankograd continue in this fashion through the blues-into-blasts “Hańba” and the mostly-more-doomed “SLAM,” with “Nostalgia” closing out in a manner one can only call progressive for its clearsighted execution of vision. Bonus track “Polska” is anthemic and to translate the lyrics is a lesson in perspective waiting to happen. I’ve heard 70 albums for this Quarterly Review, and plenty of them have mixed styles. I haven’t heard anything else like this in that process.

Tankograd on Facebook

Piranha Music on Bandcamp

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Mother Iron Horse, Under the Blood Moon

Something something Salem, Massachusetts, something something witches. Fine. Cheers to Mother Iron Horse, who indeed hail from that storied Halloween tourist destination, on having more in common sound-wise with Doomriders than any tryhard-pagan retro-style novelty acts, and on not pretending to worship the devil despite the theme they’re working with throughout this sophomore LP and Ripple Music debut, Under the Blood Moon. A 37-minute, vinyl-ready-but-is-vinyl-ready-for-it affair that moves between sludge and uptempo heavy rock, there’s little pretense to be found across the eight tracks, even as side B moves through the title-track and into the chuggery of “Samhain Dawn” and the atmospheric-but-for-all-that-screaming-oh-wait-that’s-atmosphere-too “Samhain Night” before the rolling capper “Mass at Dungeon Rock” puts the nail in the proverbial coffin. Cult-themed riffy post-hardcore sludge, anyone? Yeah, probably. Can’t imagine there isn’t a market out there for “Old Man Satan.”

Mother Iron Horse on Facebook

Ripple Music website

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Ouzo Bazooka, Dalya

You know that episode of Star Trek where Captain Kirk & Co. end up carting around this bunch of troublemaking space hippies? And they play songs like “Hey brother let’s get together and have some fun?” Of course you do. One of them was Chekhov’s ex-girlfriend from Starfleet Academy. Anyway, if you’re ever out warping from planet to planet wherever and you encounter space hippies and the songs they play don’t sound like Tel Aviv’s Ouzo Bazooka, you should drop their asses at the nearest starbase. Across the six songs and 34 minutes of Dalya, the Freak Valley veterans plant a garden of cosmic weirdness that’s as much retro spacefunk as it is Middle Eastern psychedelic jam rock, and I don’t care what decade you want to trace it to, if “Kruv” isn’t the sound of the 2260s happening right fucking now, then the future is going to be no less a disappointment than the present. Krautrock would’ve been better off if this is what it had become, and yes, I mean that.

Ouzo Bazooka on Facebook

Stolen Body Records website

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Pilot Voyager, Roadtrip to Fantazery

Those who’ve engaged with The Obelisk’s Quarterly Review at some point in the last seven-plus years that I’ve been doing them might understand that when it comes to finishing out, I like to do myself a favor and close with something awesome. Thus it is that the last record here is Pilot Voyager‘s Roadtrip to Fantazery, with four extended heavy psychedelic jams recorded by the Hungarian outfit in July at the Fantazery festival in Ukraine. It’s a full-on spacey blowout, with the trio of guitarist Ákos Karancz, bassist Ádám Kalamár and drummer Anton Ostrometskiy pushing interstellar vibes along an uptempo course charted by the likes of Earthless or Slift on “Dog Bitten Blues” (10:20) before “Dark Flood” (14:55) slows down and gets really vibed out. “Polite Screams and Electrolytes Between Me, Myself and My Pickups” (13:37) evens things out a bit, contrary to what its title might lead you to believe, and offers a highlight bassline late, and “Rare Wolfs of Yasinya” (13:29) builds to something of an apex before letting go, but the truth is if you’re not on board from the outset with Pilot Voyager‘s roadtrip — emphasis on ‘trip’ — it’s only going to be your loss. One way or the other, they’re gone.

Pilot Voyager on Facebook

Psychedelic Source Records on Bandcamp

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Last year, amid the chaos of the autumn that followed the chaos of the summer and preceded the chaos of winter — a clusterfuck for all seasons — ostensibly New York-based improvisateurs Endless Boogie released the 4LP box set The Gathered and Scattered, and even with the unceasing distraction of pandemic and collapsing democracy (neither woods we’re out of, by the way), they sold out 1,000 copies in, I dunno, seconds? Minutes? Preorders? Does it matter? They’re gone. You missed it. Me too. Nature of the thing.

The news that there is more Endless Boogie along the way is enticing. A new studio release. Recorded across studios in NY, Texas and Sweden. I don’t know who it is living in Sweden at this point, but recording at the studio founded by Träd, Gräs och Stenar‘s Jacob Sjöholm is bound to result in some right-on vibe. Frankly, to expect anything less would be silly.

No audio yet, but audio will come, rest assured. And go no less surely.

To the PR wire:

Endless Boogie announce Admonitions out November 12th

5th studio album recorded in Brooklyn and Sweden

Endless Boogie, one time staple of New York City dives and hole in the walls – now elusive, with members located around the globe – have announced that their 5th studio record Admonitions will be out November 12th. It’s a double LP which began and ended with sessions in pastoral Svartsjö, Sweden (at the studio founded by Jacob Sjöholm of Trad, Gras, Och Stenar). In between saw stops in a cramped Brooklyn basement and a Llano, Texas home studio. The album clocks in with a run time of 83 minutes, and starts with perhaps the best 22 minute opener in the history of 22 minute of openers (“The Offender”).

The band describes the collection as follows:

Seven tracks of unrefined wisdom, mostly put to tape in improvised fashion with little to no warning

Eklow on crude direction, Sweeney on stealth glamour, the obscurantist clarity of Paul Major is, as always, as ever, on full display, the fierce reality of Mike Bones is crucial, and the stoic solidity of The Harry Druzd lays beneath it all. Old pal Kurt Vile hovers over COUNTERFEITER.

Full grease, delivered with ease. It is the band’s humble wish that you immerse yourself and enjoy this offering.

Endless Boogie formed in the mid-90’s on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They existed for years as a ‘rehearsal band’ – or a reason to get (famed rare record dealer) Paul Major out of his house. They were (semi) famously coaxed into playing their first show by Stephen Malkmus, opening for him at the Bowery Ballroom in 2001. After two self-released LPs of rehearsal recordings they released their debut album Focus Level in 2008.

https://www.facebook.com/Endless-Boogie-31128877690/
https://endlessboogie.bandcamp.com/
http://noquarter.net/
https://twitter.com/NoQuarterRex
https://soundcloud.com/noquarterrex

Endless Boogie, The Gathered and Scattered (2020)

You know, I wouldn’t necessarily have thought so, but Endless Boogie put it all on the line when they say “you most certainly need this thing,” and I think they might be right. The Gathered and Scattered is the New York jammers’ upcoming collection of rehearsal improvisations. It reportedly runs three hours long and spans four 12″ records. It is limited to 1,000 copies.

Am I ever going to have three hours solid to sit and listen to four Endless Boogie LPs in a row, back to back, for that stretch of time? Given what my life is as of today, I can’t think of any way it would happen in at least probably the next 15 years. Just doesn’t seem feasible. But maybe stretched out over time, an LP here, an LP there, I could make my way through, and maybe that’d be an alright way to go. The preorders are up and they’re $58, so that ain’t nothing, but it’s about $3.41 per jam, and certainly seems like a fair ask on the band’s part.

They posted some of this material on Bandcamp back in March, and you’ll find it below, along with the info for the box set, which I expect will sell out on preorders long before I get up the nerve to pull the trigger and get it myself. Such is Mango.

Dig:

Endless Boogie – The Gathered and Scattered

Lord have mercy! 4xLP boxset of archival crude EB rehearsal jams from 1999-2012?!? Strictly NoFi! You most certainly need this thing. Preorder today at:

https://endlessboogie.bandcamp.com/album/the-gathered-and-scattered

**Digital album releases August 1st**

“Since the pandemic has made it impossible for the Endless Boogie gentlemen to gather in order to finally finish their new studio album they thought this an appropriate time to dig through the basement for some ancient fierce jams for you to relish and devour.

These recordings were made mostly during the first decade of this century and it’s mostly entirely improvised rehearsal recordings, a couple of 3am jams after falling out of the bar, and hints of aborted and despairing recording sessions. Besides the core line-up of Gray/Druzd, Eklow, Major and Mark O during this era we get glimmers of double Sweeneys (both Matt and Spencer), as well as Tim Evans, and, whoop dee, Andrew WK?!

This collection of unrelenting Pre-Music comprise some selections previously only available on limited edition CDRs, almost half is entirely previously unreleased and NONE of the tracks in this box have ever appeared on vinyl before. 4 LPs, 3 hours of CRUDE TRUTH. It’s a one-time vinyl-only edition of 1,000 copies.”

1. Life and Legend
2. Basement Jam Ritual III
3. Cretan Miniatures
4. Crude Truth
5. Bob Murphy Control
6. Surplus to Requirements
7. Ruin Art
8. Basement Jam Ritual V
9. Hadrian’s Fall
10. Magic Square
11. Red Cloaks, Stained Shields
12. Fat Man Loop ?
13. Rattlesnake Shake
14. Electioneering
15. Basement Jam Ritual I
16. Mother Fury
17. Reconstruction

https://www.facebook.com/EndlessBoogie/
https://endlessboogie.bandcamp.com/

Endless Boogie, Basement Jam Ritual (2020)

All I know is this: 2020 is my year for Freak Valley. I’ve been invited for years. In 2020 I’m going. And further, I’m saying it now. Normally I don’t commit really to anything that involves even a modicum of traveling until after all the plans are locked in and I’ve checked in at the airport, but Jens Heide at the fest passed along the invite once again, as he’s patiently done for a while now, and unless a piano falls on my head between now and then or my flight to Siegen crashes into the Atlantic, I’m gonna be there. Hell or high water, as it were.

I wrote the lineup announcement below, as I’ve done for the fest for a couple years now, and happily. It’s a great first round showing international reach and a range of styles, but of course look out for much more still to come. Freak Valley over the last few editions has begun to branch out in some fascinating ways, and I’d expect that to continue while also retaining its heavy core.

I can’t wait to get over there for it.

Freaks, the time is nigh!

Did you miss us? We missed you. Tickets go on sale TOMORROW (10/18) for Freak Valley 2020 and we couldn’t be more excited to bring you the first lineup announcement for next year’s fest! Get your calendar marked for 11-13 June and remember this is just the beginning and over the next couple months we’ll have so much more to come in terms of bands and other happenings for you. 2019 was our best year yet and we’re looking forward to topping it once again!

Tickets are officially on sale at our Freak Sabbath Vol.5 // Freak Valley Ticket Sale Kick Off, with Church of Misery and many more, but it’s time to dig into the first bands for Freak Valley Festival 2020 and we think you’ll agree it’s a great way to start.

FU MANCHU (30th Anniversary)

30 years of the Fu! Fuzz legends and heavy rock mainstays Fu Manchu are one of the most influential riff purveyors of all time. From the original stoner rock era in the ’90s through their modern takes on punk and spacey groove, Fu Manchu are, simply put, one of the most essential live bands you’ll ever see. They’ll mark three full decades of rock in 2020, and bringing them to Freak Valley was an absolute must. Of course we’re all huge fans and to have them on our stage is an honor no matter what the occasion, but this one is even more special considering their celebration. Happy birthday, Fu Manchu! Welcome to Freak Valley!

SLOMATICS

It was something of a tragedy in 2019 when our plan to bring Northern Ireland’s Slomatics over to play was cut short because of airline difficulties. That’s no way to go. We knew immediately we’d invite them back for 2020 and try it again and we’re glad to report that the band is on board as well. They’ll still be supporting their 2019 album, ‘Canyons,’ but where it was going to be brand new when they played this year, we’ve all had a little time to digest the massive riffs and wide-sprawling vibes that make their sound so distinctive. 2020 is the year! We can’t wait to finally see this band.

ENDLESS BOOGIE

There’s nothing better than a band with the perfect name, and New York-based mellow jammers Endless Boogie most certainly have that. The band are masters of hypnotic and class-style jams brought to life not with a wash of effects, but through sheer repetition and builds that are subtle in their dynamic but seem able to cover an infinity of ground that goes however far they choose at any given moment. Even among heavy and psychedelic rock, there’s nothing quite like them in terms of the character they bring to how they play. With onstage charisma, periodic improv vocals, and righteous jams, they’ll come to Freak Valley 2020 as one of our most anticipated acts.

MONOMYTH

From Den Haag in The Netherlands, Monomyth are a beacon of heavy progadelic instrumentalism. Their latest opus is ‘Orbis Quadrantis’ on Suburban Records, and its lush melodies and exploratory vibe carry the listener across its span with all the grace of masters of the form. They’ve been kicking around Europe and the festival scene for the last six years since their self-titled debut came out, and it feels only overdue to have them at Freak Valley as part of our 2020 lineup. Just look for the sea of nodding heads in front of the stage and you’ll know you’re in the right place. They are one not to miss.

TEMPLE FANG

Space, as ever, is the place, and Amsterdam’s Temple Fang are sure to take us there as they come to Freak Valley for the first of what we hope will be many happy returns. With former members of Death Alley and the vastly underrated Mühr, Temple Fang set out on a new voyage of their own last year, and while we anxiously await a debut release, the chance to bring them to Siegen to play was too good to pass up. Maybe you’ve heard them yet and maybe you haven’t, but trust us when we tell you that these guys are up to something special and this is a band you want to see or you’ll regret it later. We promise.

Many more to come!

Tickets will be available at these booking offices by Monday morning Oct 21st: Die Tintenpatrone & Siegener Zeitung

Online Tickets (print at home and Hardtickets) will be available Wednesday Oct 23rd 6pm cet

Ticketprice will be €95 for all 3 dayz incl. camping.
Camping will be possible from Wednesday June 10th next year!

FREAK VALLEY 2020
No Fillers – Just Killers

https://www.facebook.com/events/2434350453469407/
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley/

Temple Fang, “Not the Skull!” live in Haarlem, March 2019

Click Here to Download

 

It’s easy when you’re putting one of these things together to get locked into a headspace and all of a sudden everything you’re putting next to each other kind of sounds the same, kind of blurs together. I’m immensely pleased to say that’s not at all what happened this time around. The sounds throughout vary from heavy psych to rock to proggy jams to Blaak Heat who are on their own wavelength entirely to doom and space rock and so on. It flows though. I’m really happy with how it flows.

That includes the second hour, which has a couple different vibes as opposed to just the usual all-psych head-trip. Also, as you make your way through, keep in mind that a lot of this stuff is coming from debut albums. Moon Rats, Kabbalah, Eternal Black, Mindkult, The Raynbow, Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree. Hell, Steak’s track is their second album, and Youngblood Supercult too, so yeah, there’s a lot of fresh stuff included from newer bands. I didn’t come into it with a plan at all. This is just how it worked out, which of course is more fun anyway.

As always, I hope you enjoy.

Track details follow:

First Hour:

0:00:00 Moon Rats, “Highway Lord” from Highway Lord
0:03:36 Youngblood Supercult, “The Hot Breath of God” from The Great American Death Rattle
0:07:31 Kabbalah, “Phantasmal Planetoid” from Spectral Ascent
0:12:11 Wretch, “The Wretch” from Bastards Born
0:20:25 Steak, “Creeper” from No God to Save
0:24:28 Eternal Black, “Stained Eyes on a Setting Sun” from Bleed the Days
0:31:44 Mindkult, “Howling Witch” from Lucifer’s Dream
0:36:51 Shooting Guns, “Flavour Country” from Flavour Country
0:45:04 Endless Boogie, “Vibe Killer” from Vibe Killer
0:53:22 Blaak Heat, “Marr El Kallam” from The Arabian Fuzz 7”
0:57:55 The Grand Astoria, “The Sleeper Awakes” from The Fuzz of Destiny

Second Hour:

1:02:45 Eggnogg, “Overture / Wild Goose Chase” from Rituals in Transfigured Time – Prologue
1:16:06 Elara, “Harmonia” from Deli Bal
1:31:41 Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree, “Sail Away I” from Medicine
1:45:50 The Raynbow, “Changes” from The Cosmic Adventure

Total running time: 2:01:51

 

Thank you for listening.

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